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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012400

Omicron has “conquered” Thailand, with the BA.2 subvariant likely to become the main variant in a couple of months as it is spreading faster than BA.1, the Department of Medical Sciences reported on Tuesday.

Department director-general Suphakit Sirilak said the number of Covid patients has increased “a lot quite fast” after the Omicron variant had spread.

Naturally, the virus has a chance to mutate if there are a lot of “reinfections”, he said.

Previously, the B.1.1.529 or BA.1 subvariant was the main variant in many countries, but 57 nations including Thailand have found the BA.2 subvariant at the beginning of 2022. This subvariant has become the main variant in a number of countries, including India, Denmark and Sweden.

According to a study in Denmark, BA.2 spreads more easily than the BA.1 subvariant. However, it is not more severe than the basic Omicron variant, according to current information.
The study said a booster dose could prevent sickness and severe symptoms.

Suphakit confirmed Thailand could test for both subvariants. In the past week, 567 patients were randomly tested, with 105 or 18.5 per cent showing they had BA.2, while 462 or 81.5 per cent had BA.1.

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He concluded that Omicron has almost completely replaced Delta.

Suphakit also said GISAID had asked him to monitor information pertaining to Deltacron.

He reported that 97.2 per cent of patients were infected with the Omicron variant, while only 2.8 per had Delta. Some 99 per cent of international patients were meanwhile infected with Omicron.

The top 10 provinces with the most Omicron patients are Bangkok, Phuket, Chonburi, Roi Et, Samut Prakan, Nong Khai, Surat Thani, Maha Sarakham, Kalasin and Khon Kaen.

Published : February 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012399

Thailand’s hawk-eyed Customs Department officials detained three Brazilians at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday for allegedly smuggling a total of 15.5kg of cocaine with a street value of 46.5 million baht.

“The first batch of cocaine – 9kg – was smuggled in black plastic bags discovered in secret compartments of three suitcases. They belonged to a Brazilian man and a woman travelling from Curitiba. The two were caught at the airport X-ray machine at around 7am on Monday,” Customs Department director-general Patchara Anantasilp said on Tuesday. “The drug has an estimated value of 27 million baht.”

Later, at around 1pm, customs officials arrested a 24-year-old Brazilian man with 6.5kg cocaine hidden in a secret compartment of his suitcase. The drug has an estimated value of 19.5 million baht.

Officials suspect the three could belong to the same gang as the drug had been hidden in a similar manner.

The suspects are now in detention as an investigation is being carried out.

They have initially been charged with smuggling a category 1 narcotics substance into the kingdom and possessing drugs with an intention to sell.

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Published : February 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012398

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will open waiting centres for Covid-19 patients if hospital occupancy rates shoot beyond 80 per cent.

Bangkok deputy governor Pol Lt-General Sophon Pisuthiwong said after a meeting on Tuesday that the BMA ordered 50 district offices to proceed with the plan and inform residents.

Current occupancy rates are 94 per cent at BMA Medicine Service Department facilities and 83.6 per cent at field hospitals. Hospitels are full at 100 per cent.

People who are infected could call National Health Security Office hotline 1330, extension 14, or the Emergency Operations Centre in 50 districts 24 hours a day.

The BMA also ordered officials to inform 483 entertainment venues that have applied to operate as restaurants and been instructed to obtain the Thai Stop Covid 2 Plus evaluation.

There were 3,180 new Covid patients and eight deaths in Bangkok, the BMA reported on Tuesday.
Most of the infections were from teachers and students at schools as well as construction workers and the elderly.

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Precisely 2,214,467 people in vulnerable groups have been vaccinated, with 90.7 per cent receiving their first shots and 82.7 per cent getting a second jab, while 41 per cent have been administered a booster dose, the BMA added.

Published : February 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012397

The Cabinet has approved a letter of intent (LOI) to spur the Clean Energy Demand Initiative between the Thai government and the US private sector.

Government deputy spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek said on Tuesday after a Cabinet meeting that the signing ceremony would take place on Thursday at the 2nd United States-Thailand Energy Policy Dialogue.

The LOI reflects joint determination by Thailand and the US to push for investment in the kingdom by investors who have the capability to find and use clean energy, she said.

The US will get its private sector to operate in Thailand while the Thai government will provide support in the search for and use of clean energy under related regulations and laws.

The government will back the use of clean energy under these guidelines:

1. Push for an efficient clean energy market with competitive pricing
2. Set up appropriate policies for clean energy
3. Promote an environmental status certificate for trading in clean energy, and
4. Support policies and infrastructure for efficient use of electricity.

So far 19 top companies have shown an interest, with expected investment of around $2.38 billion (THB77 billion). They are HP, Apple, Akamai, Meta Platforms, Johnson & Johnson, Nike, Dow, Iron Mountain, Inter Ikea Group, Lululemon, Spiber, Ralph Lauren Corporation, Unilever, TAL Apparel, Amer Sports, Rife International, Amazon, WeWork and TCI.

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Published : February 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012396

The Cabinet has approved a draft of the royal decree on land expropriation in Bang Khun Thian’s Samae Dam subdistrict and Bang Bon Tai subdistrict to reduce the risk of flooding in western Bangkok, deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said on Tuesday.

“The land expropriation in the two subdistricts will facilitate the expansion of the Lung Nang Canal, which connects Samae Dam and Bang Bon Tai,” she said.

“The expansion will help increase the canal’s drainage capability to Mahachai Canal in Thonburi district, where the ‘monkey cheek’ water retention area is located, and therefore reduce the risk of flooding in western Bangkok during the rainy season,” Ratchada explained.

The 1.7km-long Lung Nang Canal is currently around 1-2 metres wide. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) proposed the expropriation of land on both sides of the canal covering a width of 50 metres to expand the canal and build reinforced concrete flood walls.

BMA officials will start surveying the land and properties to be expropriated 180 days after the royal decree takes effect.

The expropriation process must be completed within four years after that.

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Published : February 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012395

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) is inviting people to witness a glorious full moon on Maka Bucha tonight, February 16, along with the glistening star Regulus.

“Regulus, or Alpha-Leonis, is the brightest object in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the night sky, lying approximately 79 light years from the sun,” NARIT said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

“Regulus is often seen shining brightly next to the moon, and is especially visible on a full moon night, including Maka Bucha night on February 16,” it said.

“Ancient Indian astronomers called Regulus ‘Magha’ and used it to refer to the position of the Leo constellation,” the institute said.

“Magha then referred to the eleventh month of the year, according to the Hindu calendar, corresponding to January/February, since during this time the full moon is usually found nearby or within the Magha star cluster. The Buddhist holiday, Maka Bucha, means ‘worship in the month of Magha’.”

Maka Bucha, or Māgha Pūjā, is observed on the full moon day of the third lunar month. It celebrates a gathering that was held between the Buddha and 1,250 of his first disciples which, according to tradition, preceded the custom of periodic recitation of discipline by monks.

On this day Thai Buddhists visit temples for merit-making, including alms giving, as well as meditation and listening to teachings.

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Published : February 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012394

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved in principle a Prime Minister Office’s draft announcement on updated names of countries, territories, administrative districts and capitals as proposed by the Office of the Royal Society of Thailand, with one of the key changes being that Bangkok can also be called “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon”.

The announcement, approved in a meeting on Tuesday, stipulated that the Royal Society had proposed the updated list of names for countries as some had moved their capitals to a different city and some have been added to the list, while the Society has also adjusted the transliteration of foreign words into Thai spellings.

The Society’s committee on the dictionary of international geographic names, which comprises experts in linguistics and Foreign Affairs Ministry representatives, therefore submitted the list to the Prime Minister’s Office for Cabinet approval before officially announcing the correct, updated spellings.

Apart for Bangkok, which was given the additional name of Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, here are some of the other changes:

– Italy’s capital Rome can also be called Roma.

– Myanmar’s capital has been changed from Yangon to Nay Pyi Taw.

– The Kingdom of Nepal has been changed to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

– The State of Palestine has been added to the list of countries.

– The Thai spelling for Channel Islands (UK territory) and Saint Pierre (French territory) has also been adjusted.

On Tuesday the Royal Society clarified on its Facebook page that it did not propose a change in Bangkok’s name to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, and insisted that both names are acceptable when referring to the Thai capital.

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Published : February 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012388

Ministry of Public Health reported on Wednesday (February 16) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 16,462 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 136 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.

Death toll increased by 27, while 10,868 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 415,627.
 

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 2,639,062 – 2,478,251 of whom have recovered, 309,757 are still in hospitals and 22,516 have died.

Separately, another 52,842 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 44,312 their second shot and 206,430 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 120,520,771.

According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 416.06 million on Wednesday, 338.81 million of whom have recovered, 71.39 million are active cases (85,227 in severe condition) and 5.86 million have died (up by 10,056).

Thailand ranks 31st in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 79.63 million, followed by India with 42.72 million, Brazil with 27.66 million, France with 21.88 million and the UK with 18.39 million.

Published : February 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40012387

The rising prices of consumer goods, especially food ingredients, oil and cooking gas prices, point to an upward trajectory for the overall cost of living, and this situation is likely to continue unless the economy recovers fully from the fallout of the pandemic.

The highly contagious Omicron strain has put a damper on the economy, affecting the recovery of the business sector and the purchasing power of households.

Although the government has slowly announced measures to ease the cost of living of citizens, such as fixing the prices of various products like cooking gas, chicken, pork, etc, consumers are still concerned and affected by the rising cost of living, especially food expenses.

The measure to fix the price of home cooking gas at 318 baht per 15kg tank ends on March 31, with the first step-up adjustment to 333 baht/tank, before moving to the next level at 363 baht/tank.

Vendors say they are heavily impacted by rising raw material costs, but they are still selling food at the same price to help consumers, in the process earning less. However, they will reconsider the pricing if there are unforeseen events. They are urging the government to take care of this problem.

The January consumer confidence survey saw the first decline in five months partly due to the impact of high oil prices, raw materials and higher prices that have pushed inflation up. There is a chance that inflation in the first half of the year will be as high as 3 per cent.

The consumer confidence index in February is likely to decline further, the main factors being expensive and higher oil prices, concerns about the slow economy recovery and the spread of the Omicron strain.

Published : February 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40012386

The deputy governor of Bangkok, Sophon Phisutthiwong, has asked the province’s 50 district offices to consider opening more district Covid centres if beds at existing centres have more than 80 per cent occupancy.

The Bureau of Health and Medical Office of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reported 3,180 new cases on Tuesday with eight deaths, suggesting preparation of hospitals and health facilities for patients in Bangkok.

Since January 1, there have been many outbreaks in educational institutions from pre-kindergarten to high school levels. The infection was found among teachers, students, and sports students training in schools. At the same time, a high rate of infection was found at a construction workers’ camp.

Currently, the rate of bed occupancy in hospitals run by the Medical Office is at 94.38 per cent, field hospitals are at 83.68 per cent, hospitels 100 per cent, and district Covid centres at 36.28 per cent.

Published : February 15, 2022

By : THE NATION